Once in battle
he got the best of a certain knight
and quickly drew his sword.
The man, helpless on the ground,
spat in Ali’s face.
Ali dropped his sword, relaxed,
and helped the man to his feet.
“Why have you spared me?
How has lightning contracted back into its cloud?
Speak, my prince,
so that my soul can begin to stir in me
like an embryo.”
Ali was quiet and then finally answered,
“I am God’s Lion, not the lion of passion.
The sun is my lord.
I have no longing except for the One.
When a wind of personal reaction comes,
I do not go along with it.
There are many winds full of anger,
and lust and greed.
They move the rubbish around,
but the solid mountain of our true nature
stays where it’s always been.
There’s nothing now except the divine qualities.
Come through the opening into me.
Your impudence was better
than any reverence,
because in this moment.
I am you and you are me.
I give you this opened heart
as God gives gifts:
the poison of your spit
has become the honey of friendship.
